Tokyo would like to maintain، and develop، its traditionally friendly ties with Iran، Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Thursday، according to Reuters.

At the start of a meeting in the Japanese capital، Abe also told Zarif that he was concerned about growing tension in the Middle East.

U.S. President Donald Trump has ratcheted up sanctions on Iran since Washington withdrew a year ago from a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and global powers by which Tehran curbed uranium enrichment capacity in return for sanctions relief.